Meridian - June 2012 by Peel, Inc.

THE MONITOR

JUNE 2012 | VOLUME 1, ISSUE 3

NEWS FOR THE RESIDENTS OF MERIDIAN

GreyRockTennisClubManager/DirectorofTennis Gives Advice on How to Play Tennis MERIDIAN RESIDENTS A Newsletter for Meridian Residents The Monitor is a monthly newsletter mailed to all Meridian residents. Each newsletter will be filled with valuable information about the community, local area activities, school information, and more. If you are involved with a school group, play group, scouts, sports team, social group, etc., and would like to submit an article for the newsletter, you can do so online at PEELinc.com, or you can send an email to meridian@peelinc.com. Personal news (announcements, accolades/ honors/ celebrations, etc.) are also welcome as long as they are from area residents. GO GREEN! Subscribe via Peelinc.com to have an email sent to you with a link to a PDF of the newsletter, or have an email sent to you instead of having a newsletter mailed to you!

In the previous issue, I answered questions about beginning to play tennis, how to select tennis equipment and clothing. In this issue, I will answer questions regarding how to begin playing with friends and family. Q: I have taken some beginner lessons and I am ready to start practicing. What is the best way? A: Starting to play tennis, is like learning to swim or riding a bike. You need to start slowly and gain confidence over time. I suggest acquiring some used tennis balls from a club (we have plenty at our club), and start hitting them back and forth from the service line to service line. New balls are much too lively and if you only use three balls, you will end up spending more time chasing them than hitting them. Q: What about playing with my children? A: If your child is between ages 4-11 and has taken some tennis lessons in an organized program, more than likely they were accustomed to playing with softer â&#x20AC;&#x153;QuickStartâ&#x20AC;? balls and transitional rackets. Children need to learn to execute the stroke properly without thinking about the court and the net. I usually begin with of children of these ages, stroking a ball against a fence or windscreen. Later on once they learn to make contact with the ball, I bring them close to the net onto the actual tennis court, and I have them hit the balls being fed. Q: If I am the feeder of the balls, where should I stand? A: Most tennis coaches now, spend a great deal of teaching standing next to the players feeding them balls from both

behind and from the side, next to the player. This way, the player hitting the ball, learns to adjust to the ball without having to do a great deal of running. When I see a player becoming more confident with making contact with the ball and clearing the net, I will begin feeding the balls to them from the other side of the net. The player should start hitting the balls from the service line, and move further towards the baseline as he succeeds hitting the balls with more control. Q: When is time to rally back and forth? A: Once the player is adept to hit both forehands and backhands with consistency, when the ball is being fed from the opposite side near the service line, I then will move back to the baseline and start to rally back and forth. I normally let the student start the rally, making sure that he is executing the stroke properly. Also, safety calls for the basket or extra balls to be clear his path on his side of the court. Q: How should I practice the serve? A: One of the most difficult shots of tennis to master is the serve. Also, it is the easiest one to practice, because a player can practice it alone. I suggest using many tennis balls and begin by first serving from the service line and proceed to move back toward the base line until success is achieved with getting the ball in the proper service box. If practicing with a partner, one can be serving, while the other practices returning serve. (Continued on Page 2) The Monitor - June 2012

THE MONITOR How to Play Tennis... - (Continued from Cover Page)

WELCOME A Newsletter for Meridian residents

The Monitor is a monthly newsletter mailed to all Meridian residents. Each newsletter is filled with valuable information about the community, local area activities, school information and more. If you are involved with a school group, play group, scouts, sports activity, social group, etc. and would like to submit an article for the newsletter you can do so online at www. PEELinc.com or you can email it meridian@peelinc.com. Personal news for the Stork Report, Teenage Job Seekers, special celebrations, birthday announcements and military service are also welcome. Our goal is to keep you informed!

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Q: How about playing points? A: If players are familiar with the traditional scoring system, I suggest playing regular games. For practice purpose, I encourage my students to play using the table tennis scoring system. Serve five balls, and then allow the opponent to serve five. Change sides every 10 points. This way, a player learns to play the point, rather than the game. First to achieve 21 points wins. In the next issue, I will answer questions regarding the rules of tennis and how to become involved in a league. Until then, proceed to the nearest the tennis court, wear light clothes, drink lots of fluid and have a great time learning and practicing the “game of a lifetime” You also may have noticed that we have changed the name from “Circle C Tennis Club” to “Grey Rock Tennis Club”. New name, but same service and programs.

Congratulations to our Circle C Tennis CATA Winners The players below received the Most Valuable Player awards during the CATA Junior Awards Banquet. They all represented their respective schools and clubs. Some of these players have been with our programs for the past 10 years and we are proud to see them being selected by their peers, coaches and pros as the leaders of their teams. Congratulations to all!.

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The Monitor - June 2012

Left to Right: James Bronson, MVP Anderson High School; Jacob Belanger. MVP Bowie High School; Jason Alexander, MVP Circle C Tennis Club; Jackson Cobb, MVP Bailey Middle School, and Swati Yarlagadda, MVP Circle C Tennis Club. Back row: Coaches Darin Pleasant and Mandon Maloney. Not in picture: Paige Johnson, MVP Bowie High School and Adolfo Gonzalez, MVP Lehman High School Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc.

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THE MONITOR Fuel your Child’s Creativity Quotient Submitted by Sugandha Jain The impact of a high creativity quotient (CQ) is evident even among the top management in business. Results from 2010 IBM Global CEO study reveal that highly effective CEO’s place the greatest emphasis on creative leadership. In order to achieve top results, CEO’s are not fearful of experimenting. These CEO’s lead the new generation by continually thinking of new ways and fresh approaches. However, the sad reality is that creativity scores have been decreasing in children since 1990. In their book, The Creativity Crisis: New Thinking about children, authors Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, cite evidence on how creative quotient in children has plummeted. As parents, we have to ask ourselves some tough questions. Is our education system so hyper-focused on testing that we are squeezing out the innate creativity of our children? Are we pushing our children so hard that we are leaving no room for creativity? What can we do to turn things around? The good news is that creativity can be nurtured and learned. Exposing children to a creative environment can assist in enhancing their CQ. Creativity training actually changes brain function. It creates new neurons in key parts of the brain and builds new connections between these neurons. So, what is the recipe for sparking creativity in children? The right amount of sleep, nutrition and avoiding pessimism can work wonders. Positive thinking is so powerful that it can attract unimaginable successful results in a person’s life. Teaching children to trust themselves is a vital ingredient as creativity comes from trusting your instincts. Asking ‘What if’ questions to your children can increase their CQ. Leo Burnett says that curiosity about life in all of its aspects is the secret of great creative people. Solving open-ended problems also nurtures creativity. Parents and children who work together to solve challenging problems gain understanding on mastering uncomfortable feelings that these problems present. Families that create together stay together! Sugandha Jain is a Master Registered Texas Trainer and Director of Accreditation at a local preschool

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Fabulous Working Ladies of South Austin You are invited to “Fabulous Working Ladies of South Austin” Luncheon at Mandola’s in Arbor Trails (MoPac & William Cannon) on Thursday June 28th at 11:30. Please join us for laughter, sharing, having fun & giving back to the community we live in! The cost is only $20.00 if you RSVP & pay online by the deadline which includes a Fabulous lunch. After the deadline the cost is $30.00 at the door Cash/Check/CC. For more information, please go to www.TheFabulousWorkingLadies.com We also offer mini-trade show tables to display your business. Let me know when you RSVP if you would like to reserve a table. This is first come first serve and we only have 8 tables to offer. There is no additional cost for this, just prepay your luncheon, send me an email. We ask that you bring a door prize. You need to be fully set up no later than 11:15. We look forward to seeing you, meeting new members, learning all about you and getting our hugs in. See you soon Fab Ladies of Austin. If you have question, please feel free to contact Melinda McKenna at 288-8088 or Melinda@AustinReps.com

The Monitor is a private publication published by Peel, Inc. It is not sanctioned by any homeowners association or organization, nor is it subject to the approval of any homeowners association or organization, nor is it intended, nor implied to replace any publication that may be published by or on behalf of any homeowners association or organization. At no time will any source be allowed to use The Monitor's contents, or loan said contents, to others in anyway, shape or form, nor in any media, website, print, film, e-mail, electrostatic copy, fax, or etc. for the purpose of solicitation, commercial use, or any use for profit, political campaigns, or other self amplification, under penalty of law without written or expressed permission from Peel, Inc. The information in the newsletter is exclusively for the private use of Peel, Inc. Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Peel, Inc. or its employees. Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser. * The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising. * Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction. * Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above. Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc.

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The Monitor - June 2012

THE MONITOR THE DEDICATED RUNNER Submitted by, Steve Bernhardt

Over the past few years the topic of proper running form has been widely discussed in running books, online forums, coaching blogs, magazine articles, and training classes. From these conversations the running community at-large has come to a consensus that there are best practices for runnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to follow when running that optimize speed, efficiency, and reduce the probability of injury. The term commonly used today to highlight this emphasis on proper running technique is Good Form Running. Here are four key components of Good Form Running that you should incorporate into your running technique, particularly if you are interested in enhancing your performance or have been battling some of the more common running related injuries.

The Monitor - June 2012

1. POSTURE

Head level, eyes forward. Upper body and arms relaxed, loose hands. Compact arm swing, not crossing the mid-line of the body. 2. MID-FOOT STRIKE Land the lead foot directly under the hip, striking mid-foot not heel first.

Making adjustments to your running form can take time as muscle memory requires focused attention and repetition to rewire. With a moderate level of dedication and consistency you can make significant improvements in your running form that will result in a more productive and enjoyable running experience.

3.TURNOVER Research has shown that the optimum cadence is 180 foot strikes per minute. The faster turnover promotes a shorter, quicker stride and a more efficient mid-foot landing. 4. SLIGHT LEAN Lean forward at the ankles not the hips, use gravity to pull you forward.

THE MONITOR Austin Newcomers Club JUNE LUNCHEON Addie Broyles – Food Editor for the Austin American-Statesman is the guest speaker. Hailing from the Missouri Ozarks, Addie Broyles expanded her cooking (and eating) skills on the West Coast and Spain before settling in Austin, where she is the food writer for the Austin American-Statesman. Addie, who was named the top food writer in Austin by the Austin Chronicle in 2011, is a founder of the Austin Food Blogger Alliance and has spoken at conferences around the country, including here at South by Southwest Interactive. Her speaking topics include, How Technology Is Changing The Food World. When she’s not wrangling her two young sons or her three backyard chickens, she also writes about women and food on her blog, The Feminist Kitchen. Addie’s will be describing the details of her position at the Austin American Statesman.

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Austin Newcomers Club is a non-profit social and recreational organization dedicated to introducing residents to the Austin Community and giving them the opportunity to meet and make new friends. To Join Austin Newcomers Club: Any person who has a zip code beginning with 787 is eligible for a new membership with the annual dues payment of $40.00. Membership includes The Welcome Mat, the monthly newsletter, and the annual Members’ Directory. Contact Dotti Thoms, New Member Services, at (512) 314-5100. You are invited to attend a morning or evening Welcome Coffee and Orientation. For more information visit the website at www.AustinNewcomers.com

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THE MONITOR Financial Focus - Occupy Your Wallet Submitted by Rich Keith People often ask, “What things can we do keep our financial stability during financially volatile times such as these?” There are defensive strategies which anyone can employ regardless of their financial position. The answer, fortunately, has remained the same over many years. We have heard the importance of saving heavily and keeping debt low. But what about investing in your career, planning for a global financial tumble, or how about staying with your bank or leaving it behind? These practical questions are important in today’s world. First, the basics. Make sure you have an “emergency fund” of at least $1,000 to cover a home or car repair. More is better: an amount equal to six months of expenses is best. Save at least 20% of what you make; this keeps you from using credit. While we’re on the subject of credit, let’s look at how much you’re spending on servicing your debt. Are you carrying a credit card balance at 18 percent? Pay it down quickly because that’s like getting an 18 percent risk-free return on your money. “If I could make 18 percent, I’d do it right now!” I’ve heard before. To further improve your cash flow, elect high deductibles on your car and home insurance. Basic family protection includes making sure you have your wills and powers of attorney in place and buy inexpensive term life insurance to cover your loved ones in the event the main wage earner dies prematurely. “Buy term life insurance,

it’s the right product for families,” says noted financial whiz Suze Orman. If anyone believes that our current low inflation rates will not increase dramatically as a result of the largest printing of money in the history of the world, then they are simply not paying attention. Prices will rise. Taxes will rise. Loans will become much more expensive. There is a trend in America toward renting more and more, from homes to party gowns, known as the “Rentership Society.” Having a big home loan straps you down and won’t let you easily leave for greener pastures. But renters can quickly move to the place where jobs are. In fact there are studies which have linked chronic unemployment to home ownership. Run the numbers, and then consider renting your next home. Next, invest in yourself. Your income is your “financial engine.” Protect it by making sure you will keep working no matter what happens to your investments. Read, read, read. Be

vigilant about finding the areas of specialization where the world is heading and learn about them. Take someone to lunch who does what interests you and find out how they like it, and if a degree is required. Don’t automatically opt for an advanced degree, especially from the new breed of for-profit career schools. These schools often are expensive, and students incur debt at a higher rate than students at public or nonprofit private schools. Feel good while you are saving. Your big bank is not your friend. Historically low CD rates, high fees, combined with draconian lending policies, are driving millions of people away from the big banks and toward credit unions, as well as safer investments. Former IMF chief economist Simon Johnson’s book, “13 Bankers: The Wall Street Takeover and the Next Financial Meltdown,” reveals how a “cabal of big banks gambled with our money, wrecked the economy, and then accepted huge taxpayer bailouts, all the while paying out gigantic bonuses and fighting financial reform,” Johnson says. His answer is to remove your money from the six biggest banks: Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley. Smaller banks and especially nonprofit credit unions offer lower fees, better loan rates and consistently better customer service. For financial peace of mind, work with your financial coach to make sure your family is taken care of.

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THE MONITOR Health Briefs - June 2012 TRAMPOLINES PUT KIDS AT RISK FOR SERIOUS INJURIES

“About 100,000 children between 5 and 10 years old are injured annually on trampolines,” said Dr. William Phillips, professor of orthopedics and pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and chief of pediatric orthopedics and scoliosis at Texas Children’s Hospital. “Younger children and teens are also at risk.” Common causes of injury on trampolines can be from colliding with another person, landing improperly, falling or jumping off the trampoline and falling on the trampoline springs or frame. Younger children are at greater risk for fractures, while older children often suffer sprains and strains. “Kids don’t have to fall off a trampoline to get hurt, so using a net around a trampoline does not mean they are safe,” explains Phillips. “I’ve seen many children break bones landing on the trampoline itself.”

LOSE WEIGHT TO SLEEP BETTER

Expanding waistlines are causing many Americans to lose sleep. Chronic obstructive sleep apnea, not visions of doughnuts, is keeping us awake. Obesity in the upper body, especially in the neck, can narrow the airways leading to the lungs, resulting in heavy snoring, pauses in breathing and frequent interruptions of sleep. “Most of our overweight patients say they snore excessively and don’t sleep well,” said Dr. Peter Jones, an associate professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and medical director of weight management at Methodist Wellness Services at Methodist Healthcare Systems. Patients in Methodist’s weight management programs need to lose 50 or more pounds. After losing weight, many report that their sleep improves. “Losing weight can be an important part of treatment for patients who have sleep apnea,” said Dr. Max Hirshkowitz,

associate professor of psychiatry and director of the Baylor Sleep Disorders Center at the Houston Veterans Affairs Medical Center. “Even a 10 percent weight loss can reduce the number of times most patients stop breathing during the night.” THERAPY IS ‘NO SWEAT’ FOR EXCESSIVE PERSPIRERS

A little-known procedure at Baylor College of Medicine provides an alternative antiperspirant for those who sweat uncontrollably. Iontophoresis involves passing a mild electrical current through tap water to shut off the sweat glands temporarily. The hands and feet are soaked in a basin of water for 40 minutes in the comfort of the patient’s home. “The technology has been around since the 1950s, but it never gained widespread fame, in part because most doctors don’t know it is an (Continued on Page 11)

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The Monitor - June 2012

THE MONITOR Health Briefs - (Continued from Page 10) option,” said Dr. Ramsey Markus, an assistant professor of dermatology at BCM. “It is a very safe and effective way to decrease sweating, especially in the hands and feet.” Markus said he prefers iontophoresis for his patients with sweating in the hands and feet because it is less expensive and less painful than Botox injections, and it can be done regularly as needed in the home. Most patients only require the therapy twice a month to keep the sweat glands from producing excessive sweat. MANAGING FOOD ALLERGIES Food packages often come with the caution, “Warning: may contain peanuts,” and for good reason. It’s estimated that more than 1 million Americans suffer from peanut allergies and their reaction if exposed can be life-threatening. Other common food allergies are to cow’s milk, tree nuts, fish and shell fish, egg and even some fruits and veggies, said Dr.

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